by Jen M. Hernandez

Created on: August 31, 2010

The lights dim and the surround sound bombards you with excerpts of dialogue from upcoming features. You settle into your chair, prepared to watch a movie you have eagerly anticipated. Your warm—possibly stale—popcorn sits on your lap, with a soda perched on the arm of your chair. The movie hasn’t yet begun, but you can’t help but feel mugged at the idea of having spent at least twenty dollars between your movie ticket, and snack (not to mention the few “outside” sweets you smuggled in via your purse or pockets).

Ah, the theater experience!

The problem is, few people are considerate enough to enact theater etiquette, and as the title of your chosen movie happens upon the large screen, you are suddenly catapulted forward (along with your $8 popcorn) as the person behind you kicks your chair.  You’re no longer fighting the neighbor beside you for the arm of your chair, because your “backdoor” neighbor’s foot has taken residence there—in, frankly, too close proximity to your drink for you to feel comfortable taking another sip.

This is definitely not the first time it’s happened, but still you continue to go to the theater, precisely because you enjoy so much the idea of watching a movie the way it was meant to be seen. Although, you could definitely do without the added soundtrack of hecklers, loud commentators, and ringing cell phones.

Truthfully, inflated prices are enough to keep you away, but the lack of theater etiquette genuinely makes you want to cop a refund and never return.

Though theater prices always seem to be on the rise, whether you choose that going to see a film at the theater be worth the cost inevitably comes down to your budget, you eagerness to see the movie, and your tolerance.

I love movies. I live for them. And I put up with all these annoying habits so that I could enjoy movies, but I’ve become considerably more choosey about which movies are truly “theater worthy.” Where else can you get this experience?

Furthermore, I’ve been fortunate enough to live in a city where an alternative theater experience became recently available.  Every couple of weeks, I enjoy a movie at CinéBistro. It’s a theater and restaurant so that you can eat and enjoy your movie simultaneously. The chairs are as spacious as the isles making it considerably more comfortable than the average theater. Because they serve drinks, it is a theater for individuals who are 21 and over.  Though I choose not to drink at the theater, the more mature audience weeds out a lot of the things I can’t tolerate at a regular movie theater. And though it is certainly pricier and the selections at this small theater are reduced, it’s worth it from my moviegoer perspective.

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